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DfE: Preventable Child Deaths in England: Year Ending 31 March 2010

DescriptionThis Statistical Release presents data collected from Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) in England. The data collection was introduced from 1 April 2008 and is designed to collect information on the number of child deaths which have been reviewed by Child Death Overview Panels (CDOPs) on behalf of their LSCBs, and the number of these cases which were assessed as being preventable child deaths.

This second year of collection includes reviews completed between 01 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 and also includes additional optional information provided by CDOPs, for example the age, gender and cause of death of the child deaths which have been reviewed.

The first data collected from CDOP on the reviews completed between 01 April 2008 and 31 March 2009 can be found in "Preventable Child Deaths in England: Year Ending 31 March 2009".

Key figures
  • 3,450 child death reviews were completed by Child Death Overview Panels (CDOPs) in the year ending 31 March 2010.
  • Of the child death reviews completed in the year ending 31 March 2010, 150 were assessed as preventable.
  • Each year there are approximately 5,000 child deaths registered in England, so approximately 10,000 children have died since the statutory responsibility to review child deaths was introduced on 01 April 2008. Approximately 57 per cent of these child deaths had their child death review completed by 31 March 2010.
  • Voluntary data indicates that the majority of deaths which were assessed as preventable in the year ending 31 March 2010 were due to trauma and other external factors (54 per cent). And the most common event which resulted in the death being assessed as preventable was a road traffic accident (representing over a quarter of all preventable child deaths).
  • CDOPs assess if a child's deaths was preventable, potentially preventable or not preventable and voluntary data indicates that 15 per cent of child deaths were assessed as potentially preventable in the year ending 31 March 2010 (i.e. there were modifiable factors extrinsic to the child). And the most common cause of death which was assessed as potentially preventable was sudden unexplained death in infancy (27 per cent).

As part of a Government drive for data transparency in official publications we have included supporting data for this publication as an additional table below, and also supplementary information showing the data collection form and the collection guidance notes.

An amendment to Underlying Data for this publication was made on 3 September 2010.
Download Formats PDF (58Kb) | Explain formats
Additional informationEXCEL (These tables include the statutory and voluntary data provided and regional breakdowns were possible. Table A and D amended 3 September 2010.)
Publication’s Underlying Data
Additional informationZip Archive 
Reference IDOSR17/2010
Coverage Country England
Date Released22 July 2010
Main Category Health, well-being and Care
Sub CategoryCare    Click on subcategory link to see if there is later information
TypeStatistical Release
ContactSarah Wolstenholme  sarah.wolstenholme@education.gsi.gov.uk  tel: 0207 340 8479
PreRelease AccessClick here

To access this publication click on the links next to "Download Formats" above